Traffic violations lead to drug and weapon charges

YOUNGSTOWN — Police said a couple of traffic violations led to the arrest of a Jackson Street man on drug and weapons charges.

Officers on patrol said they noticed a gold-colored Chevrolet Impala sitting on Delason Avenue with its lights on and a man sitting in the passenger seat shortly after 8 p.m. Thursday.

As they watched the car, a second man came out of a house, got in the driver’s seat and pulled away.

Officers said they noticed the car had no light over its rear license plate and that it failed to stop for a stop sign at the intersection with Overland Avenue.

They followed it north on Overland and stopped it at Myrtle Avenue, noticing that the passenger appeared to be reaching under his seat as they approached.

They identified the passenger as Jeremy Betts, 23, of Jackson Street, and said they found a plastic bag containing suspected marijuana and a loaded handgun under his seat. He was charged with possession of marijuana, carrying a concealed weapon and a convicted felon in illegal possession of a weapon.

He spent the night in Mahoning County Jail and was arraigned Friday morning before being returned to jail on $27,500 bond.

Police said they found a nearly empty brandy bottle on the front seat next to the driver, James Abanathey, 20, of Dupont Street, and cited him with an open container violation, failure to stop at a stop sign and failure to have a light over his license plate.